TABARI [

See also:

• ABU

Abu Ja'far Mahommed

See also:

• IBN

ibn Jarir ut-Tabari] (838-923)  , Arabian historian and theologian, was born at Amol in Tabaristan (south of the Caspian), and studied at Rei (Rai), Bagdad, and in Syria and Egypt . Cast upon his own resources after his father's death, he was reduced to great poverty until he was appointed tutor to the son of the vizier `Ubaidallah ibn Yal}ya . He afterwards journeyed to Egypt, but soon returned to Bagdad, where he remained as a teacher of tradition and law until his death . His life was simple and dignified, and characterized by extreme diligence . He is said to have often refused valuable gifts . A Shafi'ite in law, he claimed the right to criticize all schools, and ended by establishing a school of his own, in which, however, be incurred the violent wrath of the Hanbalites . His works are not numerous, but two of them are very extensive . The one is the T¢rlkh ur-Rusul wal-Muluk (History of the Prophets and Kings), generally known as the Annals (cf . ARABIA, Literature . " History ") . This is a history from the Creation to A.D . 915, and is renowned for its detail and accuracy .

It has been published under the editorship of M . J. de

Goeje in three series, comprising thirteen volumes, with two extra volumes containing indices, introduction and glossary (Leiden, 1879-1901) . A Persian digest of this work, made in 963 by the Samanid vizier al-Bal'ami, has been translated into French by H . Zotenberg (vols. i.-iv., Paris, 1867-1874) . A Turkish translation of this was published at Constantinople (1844) . His second great work was the commentary on the Koran, which was marked by the same fullness of detail as the Annals . The size of the work and the independence of judgment in it seem to have prevented it from having a large circulation, but scholars such as Baghawi and Suyuti used it largely . It has been published in thirty vols . (with extra index volume) at Cairo, 1902-1903 . An account of it, with brief extracts, has been given by O . Loth in the Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft, vol. xxxv . (1881), pp .

588-628 . Persian and Turkish

translations of the commentary exist in manuscript . A third great work was projected by Tabari . This was to be on the traditions of the Companions, &c., of Mahomet . It was not, however, completed . Other smaller works are mentioned in the Fihrist, pp . 234-235 . (G . W .